Crawling
by Cold Toenails
Summary: Ginger Foutley's life has taken a dramtic and depressing turn. After her brake up with Darren when he found him cheating on her with Miranda, she has found a new boyfreind, Mitch. Now she has to learn how to cope with an abusive boyfreind, heart brake, an
1. Chapter 1

_Dear Journal,_

_Today was just as horrible as yesterday. Well since Darren and me have broken up, I have found a new boyfriend. I should have waited awhile, but I didn't want to be alone. Mitch has started being abusive. Not always verbally, sometimes physically. How did my life end up like this? You are the only I can trust now. _

Ginger Foutly shut her diary and put it under her mattress. She got out of bed and prepared herself for school. Since her life has taken a dramatic, and depressing turn she hasn't really cared about her appeared. That morning after she had taken a shower she didn't bother to comb her hair. She put on some regular blue jeans and a long sleeved black shirt to cover the bruises on her arms.

She left the house early, skipping breakfast. She rarely talked to her family anymore so her secret wouldn't get out. She thought this was all her fault, she is the reason that Mitch is abusive to her and that she is the cause for her depression. She walked slowly to school enjoying the peace. She watched some birds fly across the light blue sky. She sighed in her happiness. But that happiness was soon interrupted by a voice. A voice that she now fears. "Hey Ginger!" some called to her. She stopped dead in her tracks with fear. It was Mitch. "I told you to wait for me you bitch." He raised his hand ready to slap me, but luckily for Ginger Dodie came along.

"Hi Ginger! Hi Mitch!" she said happily. 'That's just like Dodie. Not a care in the world,' Ginger thought.

Ginger took in a silent deep breath and prepared to put back on her mask. "Hey Dodie what's up?" she said in a fake happy voice. It sounded so real to everyone else that no one else could tell what was really behind her words.

"Oh nothing. Guess what I hear," Dodie said excitedly. Ginger zoned out on her but pretended that she was listening. She got an uneasy feeling. She could tell that Mitch was looking at her. She looked at him. Her empty eyes met his cold eyes. "Did you guys hear me?" Dodie said breaking the glare.

"Um what?" Mitch asked.

Dodie sighed. "Never mind.

Ginger had that uneasy feeling all during school. She feels it everywhere except when she is writing in her journal. School seemed to fly by. When the last bell rang school ended, and so did her sanctuary of peace. She was scheduled to meet Mitch at his house after school.

She hesitated as she rung the doorbell. But as soon as it rang he was there to answer it. It was like he was waiting at the door for her. "Come in Ginger," he said in a sick sweet voice. She fallowed him into the living room. 'No one must be home if he isn't taking me into his room,' she thought. She sat uneasily on the couch. He said on a chair opposite from her staring at her. She fidgeted uncomfortably. She was going to say something but he spoke before her. "So what were you doing talking to Alex?" he asked. She could hear the anger rising in his voice.

Before she could answer he spoke again. "There isn't anything going on between you. Is there?"

Ginger shook her head. "No we were just talking, I swear!"

But Mitch didn't seem to believe her. "It better be but if I see you around him or any other guy, you will pay dearly." Ginger nodded. She looked ok on the outside but on the inside she was crying. "You can now," he said dismissing her. She got up and ran out the door with tears starting to stream down her face.

She closed the front door behind her. She leaned against the door and buried her face in her hands. "Ginger?" her mother said. Ginger looked up. She didn't see her sitting on the couch watching TV. "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah I was just thinking," she lied. "I think I'm going to lay down for awhile and maybe write." Her mother nodded and Ginger walked up the stairs. She flopped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. 'How did my life end up like this?' she thought. More tears came to her eyes. She tried to blink them away but one escaped.


	2. Chapter 2

Ginger sat on her bed with her journal. The pages had been stained with tears.

_Dear Journal,_

_Today was horrible. It started out like this. This morning Mitch came over to walk me to school. He acted all nice and happy around my family, unlike the way I know him. He offered to help Mom with the dishes. I even almost fell for his charm. But I have learned to know better. He was like that on the way to school. He doesn't let my mom take me or go by myself. I have lost that privilege. He acted like that at school. As if nothing was wrong. But after school he took me to the ally and began to beat me with one of his textbooks. I don't know why. But he kept saying, "So who is he? So who is he?" after awhile I felt nothing._

_I think that Macy and Dodie are getting suspicious. They keep asking me questions and I have to keep trying to make them think that everything is fine. But I don't think that I can wear this mask anymore. I want this to end. I would leave him but I'm too afraid now that things have gotten worse. But maybe, hopefully, thing will get better. Yeah this is just probably a stage for him._

Ginger hid journal in a fake book and put it on her bookcase. It looked invisible with the other book. 'No one can find it,' Ginger told herself. Ginger was tired and her arms were aching and bruised. She went to the bathroom to try to find something to make it better. She decided to wrap some cloth bandage around it to cover it. She would say that she tripped or something. She tried to cut the bandage but accidentally but hr arm.

She gasped quietly. The cut was small but she thought it felt good. Actually a little refreshing. There was a small red line with just a small amount of blood coming out. She wiped it away using water and soap. The soap stinged, but it felt wonderful to her. She wanted to cut herself 'accidentally' but again, but fought back her urge. Ginger cleaned the scissors to get rid of the evidence and put them back. "Ginger!" she heard her mother yell from the kitchen. "Phone for you!"

Ginger walked slowly down the stairs. She already knew who it was. Mitch. She didn't want to talk to him. His voice scared her now. She took the phone from her mom. "Hello?" she asked uncertainly into the phone.

"Hey Ginger it's me Macy," the person said. Ginger sighed mentally.

"Hey Mace what's up?"

"Nothing. It's just that you haven't been calling much, actually not at all. And you aren't acting like yourself."

"I don't know," Ginger said. "I just haven't been feeling well." That was true. She had a sick feeling in her stomach.

"Are you sure? Is everything fine?" Macy asked. "Dodie and I have been worried about you."

"I'm fine!" Ginger said raising her voice. "Nothing is going on! You don't have to bug me! It's my life and trust me I AM fine!" there was a silence after that.

"Sorry Mace," Ginger apologized. "I'm just feeling a little cranky today. Didn't get too much sleep."

"It's ok."

"Look Macy I have to go. My mom needs to use the phone. Bye." Ginger hung up before Macy could return her goodbye.

'How could I have said that? How could have been so stupid? I almost messed up our friendship. I always mess things up now. I'm a screw up,' she thought. Tears came to her eyes. Everything seemed to be falling apart right in front of her. Her friends. Her family. Her relation ship with her boyfriend. And now it seems she can't do anything right.


	3. Chapter 3

"So what do you want to do today?" Dodie asked me. It was a Saturday and Macy and she came over to my house to hang out. But I didn't want to hang out, I didn't want to do anything. I just wanted to be alone.

"I don't know," I said. "I just planed on staying home today."

"But I'm so bored!" Dodie sighed loudly. "Can we just do something?"

"You can. But I'm just staying her." I laid back on my bed and took out a book.

Dodie sighed again annoyed. "Fine. Come on Macy, let's go to the mall or something." Dodie left the room. Macy was more hesitant to leave.

"Are you sure you don't want to come Ginger?" Macy asked.

"Yeah I'm sure," I responded turning the page. Macy shook her head and left too. I hated making them mad, but I really did want to be alone. I heard the phone ring. It rang four more times till I yelled at Mom to get it.

"Ging, it's for you!" Mom called.

I moaned and sandwiched my head between my pillow. I knew who it was. I didn't want to talk to Mitch. "Ginger, didn't you hear me? Answer the phone!" she called again.

"Yea I know Mom," I yelled back. "I'm getting it." I reached for the phone on my night stand. "Hello?" I heard our other phone click off.

"It's about time you answered," Mitch said.

"Yeah well, I was busy."

"I don't like that tone. Now apologize!"

I sighed. "I'm sorry. So what did you call for?"

"Just checking' in."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah that's all bitch. Oh and about our plans tonight," Mitch said, "I have to cancel. I just made other plans."

"What other plans?"

"I'm going to the movies with Stephanie."

"What?"

"You heard me. Look we're still together, but you are getting boring and I need something new. No offence girl, but Stephanie looks a lot better then you do."

"What?"

"Maybe if you fix yourself up a bit, I can take you out again."

"Maybe I don't want to go out," I said.

Mitch laughed. "Yeah sure, what ever bitch. But I'm still in charge and don't forget it. Stephanie means nothing to me. You're still my little rag doll."

I couldn't think of anything to say. I was hurt, that's pretty much it. I knew that our relation was going down the toilet, but still I wasn't really expecting this. "So I'll call you later?" Mitch asked.

"Um…yeah…call me later," I said. Then he hung up. I slowly set the phone back in place.

The next day Mitch came over. He made sure that I was the only one left in the house. "So Ginger how's it going?" he asked when I answered the door.

I jumped. I wasn't expecting him. "Oh hi. Nothing much how did it go with Stephanie?" I asked as if it was nothing.

"Fine, but I still missed you," he said caressing my face. "So want to do something?"

"Like what?"

Mitch laughed. "Ginger, Ginger, Ginger," he said shaking his head. "Poor sweet innocent Ginger. I'll give you a moment to think, and maybe it will come to you." I stopped to think, and it hit me by what he meant.

"No not that," I said. "Let's do something else." He had taken away everything else in my life and I wasn't going to let him take away my innocence.

"Come one Ging," Mitch said walking towards me. "Stephanie wasn't like this."

"Well I'm not some firkin' whore like Stephanie," I said taking a step back.

Mitch laughed again. "Ginger you must be scared. You dropped the F bomb. I've never heard you say that before. Let's just get it over with." He came closer and I automatically walked backwards. Soon my back was against the wall. Mitch had an evil grin on his face as he placed a hand on my shoulder. I closed my eyes tightly and tried to make it go away. Then I heard something swing open the door as it loudly hit the wall. For a moment time seemed to stop.


	4. Chapter 4

**Yo, I know that I haven't updated in some time, but really people I don't have the time. I try, but it's been busier then shit for me. But now I have come with more updates! I don't like this story, I was going to delete it but I just didn't. You know what I'm saying. So I'm sorry for the delay and yadda yadda yadda. Now, where did I leave off?**

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And in stepped Mom. "Oh sorry," she apologized. "Was I interrupting something?"

"Not at all Mr. Foutley. Here let me help you with those." Mitch took the paper bags filled with our groceries from our mother's arms and took them into the kitchen.

"Thank you Mitch," my mother said thankfully. "You have a real gentlemen Ginge." Before leaving the living room with my mother, Mitch winked at me.

"You have no idea," I said sarcastically under my breath. I walked up the stairs to my room. Nothing about my room has changed since the third grade. I love it. It just makes me forget everything that is going on now, I feel like I'm still ten. A time when nothing mattered and boys were better when they had cooties.

I buried my face in my pillow, nearly suffocating myself. I pressed tighter to feel more of the rush. But I snapped out of it. Suicide wasn't the way out. Things were going to get better. Well, that's what I have been telling myself.

The wind blew softly in through my window gently shaking the leaves on the tree. The quietness of the day began to lull me to sleep.

When I woke up the first thing I saw was Mitch sitting on a chair next to my bed. I sat up abruptly once I realized what he was doing. He was reading my journal. "You know, I come off as a really big jerk in this," he said thoughtfully as he turned the page.

"What are you doing?" I asked sleepily.

"Nothing much." He finished up the page and placed the notebook back in its rightful place. "I never knew that Ginge."

"Knew what?"

"That you hate me."

"I don't hate you!" I exclaimed now feeling frightened.

"Sure sounds like you do." He picked up the diary again and thumbed to a page. "Take this little section for example. Dear Journal, today sucked-."

"I was just mad that day," I explained interrupting him.

"I tend to make you mad a lot huh?" I hesitated, and then nodded solemnly. "I don't try to." His voice was now quiet and very un-Mitch like. "It's just that… things have been kinda hard for me. You know with my parents divorce and all." I watched my boyfriend. He played nervously with the ends of his shirt.

"It's ok," I said in a whispered voice.

"No it's not," Mitch said, now look at me. "You know its not."

I said nothing.

"And I want to make it up to you."

Not I was shocked. I stared at him unsure if he was being serious. 'This could just be another one if his pranks,' I told myself mentally. 'It's just too… different.' But Mitch's face was serous. I could see no lie in his eyes. "How?" was all that I could come up with.

Mitch took a second to think this over. "How about for starters, I'll take you out for dinner tonight? You can pick where ever and whatever. It's on me."

Again this sounded too good to be true. Just an hour ago, this same boy was about to rape me. Now he is offering me a free meal. "I don't know-."

"Look Ginger, would I lie to you?" He laughed when I took sometime to think about that statement. "I really am sorry Ginger. I've just been angry and you were just the easiest person to take it out on. But I really do love you. It's been killing me since this started, but I just couldn't stop."

Silence filled the room. 'Is Mitch able to be trusted?' I asked myself. My mind filled with times when he was there for me. And those were countered with all the other times of pain he cause.

'Things are going to be different,' Mitch's voice said in my head. 'I promise.' After much thinking over, I came up with an answer. I would go, but if he starts again I'm gone. Forever. Mitch agreed grinning and told me to call him later when I think of a place to go.

He left me alone in my room. And for the first time in many months, I actually felt something. It was the faint feeling of happiness.

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_Dear Journal,_

_Like Mitch promised, nothing will go bad. For the past three weeks things have been going by smoothly. It's been like old times. I've gotten in touch with my friends again, my family seems more bearable, and Mitch has been great. He kept his word on the restaurant too. I ordered the most expensive thing on the menu, just to test him. He just smiled and got the same thing too. It's been fun!_

_Tonight Mitch and I are going out again. This time we are going to a movie. We aren't sure which one yet, but we won't be watching it anyways. We'll too busy doing other stuff. I think Mitch is really the guy I am meant to be with. We've already have had sex (Mom better not find this. And if you are reading this Mom, sorry). But he didn't force me. I wanted to._

_Well I need to go. I need to go buy something with Dodie and Macy. I'll tell you about it when I get back. Bye!_

_Love,_

_Ginger Foutley_

I put my journal back into its hiding place. Dodie and Macy were just ringing the doorbell when I was about to leave my room. "I got it!"

I raced down the stairs and got the door. "Hi guys," I greeted my friends. "Just one second." I ran back into the kitchen where Carl is.

"Tell Mom that I'll be back before supper," I ordered him.

"Hn," Carl responded. He was too busy messing with some disembodied thing. I don't want to know what for.

I hurried back to the door and grabbed my purse of its hook before leaving. "You guys ready?"

The place where we were going wasn't that far away, so we decided to walk. "Ginger, are you sure you need this?" Macy asked.

"Yes! I just need to make sure," I answered keeping my eyes on the street ahead of me.

"But really, do you understand what this could do to you-!"

"I already thought about it," I interrupted Macy annoyed. "It's all I been thinking about. You guys haven't told anyone, have you?" Both shook their heads. A relieved smile crossed my lips.

We came to a small drug store. "Where do you think it is?" Dodie asked as we cruised down the isles, looking for the object needed.

"Maybe we should ask," Macy said.

"No!" I exclaimed. "It's too embarrassing!"

"Do you want to-."

"No!" I sighed outwards loudly. "Let's just get it over with. But you guys have to come with me."

"Are you scared?"

"No! I just-." I sighed again. "Are you guys going to help me with this or not? Or are you not my friends."

"Ginger, you know that we are always going to be here for you," Dodie said putting an arm around my shoulder, hugging me slightly. "Now let's go up there and ask!" I smiled at Dodie and nodded.

Slowly, the three of us inched our way up to the counter. There was a red headed women filing her nails. "What can I do for you?" she asked focusing on her nails.

"Uh," I stuttered. "I need…I need." Sucking up what little courage I had, I managed to say the last words. "A pregnancy test." My face heated up with embarrassment.

The women didn't react quit the way I expected her to. "Here you go sweetie." She handed me a box. "Is that all?"

"Uh yeah."

My friends and I got out of the drug store quickly and just began walking. The box was held in my purse. "Where should I take it?" I asked them.

"A gas station?" Dodie suggested. I gave her an 'ARE YOU CRAZY! THAT'S DISCUSTING' look. "Hey, if you do it at home, you're mom will find out. Do you want her to know."

"No," I said.

"You know you will have to tell her," Macy said. "She's going to find out sooner or later. It's better if you tell her and just get it over with."

"No, not yet," I told them. "I'm going to wait till it's too late for her to make me get an abortion."

Now Dodie and Macy looked shocked at me. "You mean you're going to keep it?"

"Of course," I said. "It's my baby, and Mitch and I will be the best people to take care of it."

"Have you even told Mitch yet?"

"No," I admitted. "I was going to wait till I see what it says. No reason to worry him if there is nothing to worry about."

"But do you think Mitch will-."

"If you are thinking that Mitch is going to leave, then stop right now!" I interrupted angrily. "We're going to raise it together. I already planned it out. He can go to the community college and I'll get a part time job. Hopefully Mom will let us stay in our house and help take care of the baby. Just until we can do it ourselves."

"Ginger, you are a junior in high school," Macy said. "You guys can't take care of a baby."

"Mitch is graduating this year," I went on. "You guys don't worry. I got this all planned out if it comes out positive. It's going to be ok."

For some time none of us said nothing. "So, when are you going to tell him?" Dodie asked me.

"That is the only part I haven't come up with yet," I said sheepishly. "But I'll think of something. Besides, who knows if I am really pregnant?"

We found a reset stop four blocks away. It was really embarrassing, especially since I knew that Dodie and Macy were waiting right outside the door. "What does it say?" Macy asked from the other side of the door.

"One second," I answered back. I had to wait five minutes. I unlocked the door and let my friends in. we waited impatiently for the results. During this time, not a word was said between the three of us.

Five minutes later the results came. It was red. "What does red mean?" Dodie asked excitedly. Macy read the box for answers.

"It's positive."

My friends and I began to jump and squeal together. "Oh my god Ginger!" Dodie exclaimed excitedly. "This is so exciting!"

"I know! I can't wait to tell Mitch!" I stopped jumped. Mitch, how was I supposed to tell him?

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And that is where it ends. Yup, that is where I end it. I mean the chapter, not the story of course. That would just be stupid, wouldn't it? So what are you waiting for, REVIEW!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Wow, four reviews with 83 hits. That sucks. So thank you to all those who reviewed, you're my new buddies. The rest of you suck. Really why should I write when only a few review? But I shall update for my loyal buddies who are nice enough to tell me if it's good or not. So this is for you! You can be my buddy to if you review, if you don't, then I hate you. But oh well I guess you can read it too. But I really hate that hit counter. It makes me sad. So this chapter is for all that reviewed and you get… gummy bears! Ok back to the story.**

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I did tell Mitch. He was fine with it. Actually he was pretty excited. "Did you tell your mom yet?" he asked me. We were in his room and I was on his laptop.

"No, not yet," I said. "I'm waiting till it's too late."

"Too late for what?" Mitch asked curiously.

"Too late to get an abortion," I replied casually. "Hey what do you think about the name Makayla if it's a girl?"

"Nice. But you really want to keep it?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I? This is going to be **our **baby."

"I don't know if we can handle it-."

"But you're graduating this year," I told him. "So you can get a job or something."

"But I wanted to go to college."

I looked up from the laptop. "So you think I should get an abortion?"

"No," Mitch sighed. "It's just that I think we should think about this. This is really big."

"Don't worry, I already planned it all out," I tried to assure my boyfriend. "Everything is going to be fine."

"But what if it's not?"

I glared at Mitch. "I'm **not **getting an abortion. This is an abortion Mitch; we just can't get rid of it like it's just a piece of garbage. That would be murdering it."

Mitch cut me off before I could say anymore. "I know Ginger, I know. I'm just saying I don't want this to ruin your life."

"It's not," I stated. "Everything is going to be fine. Who knows, this could be one of the best things that could happen in our lives."

Mitch smiled. "So what are you thinking about if it's a boy?"

"Maybe Arron."

"I was thinking more like…Anakin."

"No," I said making a face. "We would never name any of out children that. Isn't that some guy on Star Wars?"

"Yeah, so? I like Star Wars?" Mitch said with a smile. I rolled my eyes. "I was kidding! Ok? Arron is good too."

"If you come up with anything else besides Anakin or something from Stat Wars, tell me," I said getting up. "But I have to go. I promised I would go with Mom to the mall to spend some mother daughter time."

"I'll call you later," Mitch said. He took out a notebook and looked for something to write with.

"Bye."

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Later that night, Mitch called. "Hey, do you have any idea what you want to do on Friday?" he asked me.

"No, I haven't really thought about it. But what do you think would be better to paint the baby's room, blue or yellow?"

"Can we stop talking about the baby for once?" Mitch asked, sounding angry. "Sorry, but that's all we've talked about."

"I know, but we need to-."

"We'll think about it later. We have like five months to decide on paint," Mitch said. "Let's just think about you and me before we have to play mommy and daddy. So what do you want to do?"

"I don't know."

"Good! Because I got something planned."

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's a surprise."

I smiled. Mitch has done surprise dates before. They were always so fun and romantic. "Can you give me a hint?"

"Nope," Mitch replied. "No hints. You'll just have to wait until Friday night. Meet me at the park around midnight, ok?"

"Isn't that kind of late?" I asked confused.

"I know it's late, but it's all part of the plan," Mitch explained. "You can sneak out, can't you?"

"Of course. Mom goes to bed at nine. She won't hear a thing."

"Good. We'll be back around three maybe, so you'll get home before she wakes up."

"Sounds great," I said. "This better be good if you are going to keep me up late."

"Oh it will be," Mitch said. "It will be."

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The only people that know about my pregnancy is Dodie, Macy, and of course Mitch. It's been getting hard to hide it though. I've started to wear sweatpants and large sweatshirts. People were starting to get suspicious. But everyone knew they were just rumors. Miss good girl Ginger Foutley would never get pregnant. Not in a million years. A few people have asked me, I told them it's just a phase that I was going through. Even some people started to dress like me. Ha, a new fad.

I was in the bathroom, washing my hands, when Miranda came in. She said nothing as she put on some dark glitter eye shadow. We've hated each other even more after she started going out with Darren. She was the reason why we broke up, after I found out that he was in love with her.

I shot Miranda a glare when I caught her looking at me. "What do you want?" I asked her coldly.

"Nothing," Miranda said. Miranda had on a plaid mini skirt and a tight white tank top that was a couple sizes too small. I don't know why Darren even likes that whore. Everyone knows that she's been with just about every guy in our class. "Nothing at all. But might I say that I love your outfit Ginger. Very white trash."

I rolled my eyes. "I like yours too. Tell me Miranda, how many guys did you have to sleep with to get the money for those boots?'

Miranda laughed sarcastically. "So how's your baby doing, Ginge?"

My heart stopped. I said something before it sounded like I was hesitating. "What are you talking about?"

"Come one Ginger," Miranda said with her evil smile. "Everyone knows. It's the only thing people talk about. We only know about you and Mitch."

"What about us?"

Miranda was becoming impatient. "Don't play dumb. We all know that Mitch knocked you up. So what are you going to name it?"

"I don't know what you are talking about." I pushed past her, and exited the bathroom. When I stepped out, I bumped into someone.

"Sorry," I apologized. It was Darren. "Oh, it's you. Forget what I just said."

"Ginger," Darren started out. "We need to talk."

"No." I walked away from him. But he chased after me.

"Ginger! Wait!" He grabbed onto my arm, and pulled me back.

"Let go of me!" I ordered, hitting him.

"Ginger, just let me talk."

Just then someone pulled us apart. "What do you think you're doing?" Mitch growled at Darren. Darren stuttered something that I didn't understand. I stood back, smiling smugly. Darren was afraid of Mitch. And of course he was, Mitch was twice as big as Darren and he could knock him out any day. "What?"

"I-I just wanted to talk to her," Darren stuttered.

"If she doesn't want to talk to you, then she doesn't have to," Mitch said. "Come on Ginger, let's get away from this loser."

As Mitch and I walked away, I looked back at Darren. He was still standing where he was when I left him. But now Miranda was with him, glaring spitefully at both Mitch and me. I just smiled her and kept walking.

Friday night, or Saturday morning is the right term, I was waiting till a couple minutes past twelve to leave. When it was 12:10, I decided it was the best time to leave. As I walked down the hall, I saw I dim light coming from underneath Carl's door. 'It's probably his TV,' I thought. I was extra careful not to make a noise as I went past his door, just in case he was still awake.

I was on the last three steps when the step squeaked. 'Shit!' I thought. I froze waiting to see if anyone was coming. My heart began to race with urgency. Nothing came. I continued my journey down the stairs. When I got out the house, Mitch's car was waiting outside our house with the lights off.

"What took you so long?" he asked once I got in.

"I was waiting till I was sure everyone was asleep," I told him. We began to drive away. Mitch didn't turn the lights on till we were a block away.

"So what are we going to do at a park at this time of the morning?" I asked Mitch.

"You'll have to wait and see."

"Come on! We're already on the date! Tell me now!"

"Nope, sorry babe," Mitch said smirking. "You'll just have to wait." I sighed in defeat and cursed Mitch under my breath. "What was that?"

"Nothing," I said smirking. Mitch smiled softly.

At the park, Mitch led me to the lake, where he set up a picnic. "Is this it?" I asked. It was all right, not exactly what I was expecting.

"Don't you recognize this place?" he asked me. "This is where we first met."

"Oh yeah," I said pretending that I didn't remember. "I forgot." Mitch looked at me. "I was kidding. Of course I remember! What did you bring?"

Mitch had brought regular picnic food, but I was fine with it. I was starved. "Oh shit, I forgot something back at the car," Mitch said slapping himself on the forehead. "I'll be back in a second. Help yourself to what ever you want."

Ten minutes had past and Mitch still hadn't return. "Mitch? Where are you?" I asked in a harsh whisper. There was no reply. "Mitch?" I repeated but this time louder.

"What?" he asked from behind me. The sound of his voice made me jump.

"Don't do that! What was taking you so long?" I asked him. Mitch said nothing. "Mitch, what's wrong?"

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And that is where it ends. Yup, I'm done with the chapter. So anyways, so anyway, I don't know what else to say. Thanks to those people who reviewed before. The rest of you are dead to me! DEAD! DEAD! I'll update soon… maybe… it depends on how much reviews I get. They motivate me. More reviews me happy sooner updates. No reviews me sad I'll update when I think I got enough reviews. So… yeah…. Hoped you enjoyed it…. Psh, whatever, Peace yall.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Yay! Reviews! I love you people! And for the people that didn't review, you're still dead to me. Dead as my little pet hamster, Mr. Sniffles. God bless his little hamster soul. And so now on with the story!**

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* * *

Mrs. Foutley sat up in her bed. There was something that wasn't just right. She could feel something had gone wrong, horribly wrong. She jumped out of bed to check on her children. She went to Carl's room since he was the most likely to be the one causing or getting into trouble. But everything was fine in there. Carl was sleeping soundly.

Next she went to Ginger's room. She found the bed empty and unmade. There was no note or any sign that would say why she wasn't in her bed sleeping. She stood in the room, frozen, for half a moment. Then she raced back to Carl's room to wake him. "Carl, have you seen your sister?" she asked her son.

Carl, who was clearly annoyed with being woken up at this early, responded by saying, "She went to bed hours ago."

"She's not in there."

This woke Carl up a little. He sat up in bed. "Where do you think she is?" he asked.

"I don't know! That's why I'm asking you! When she gets home she is going to be in so much trouble." Carl smiled at the thought of his sister being in trouble for once instead of him. He didn't really expect Ginger to leave during the night, but he had an idea it had to do with Mitch.

"I'm going to wait right at the door for her," Mrs. Foutley said ask she exited the room. "Come on Carl, you can wait with me." But Carl said nothing. He had already fallen back to sleep.

Mrs. Foutley waited till five in the morning. Still no Ginger. Now she was more worried then angry. That's when she decided to call the police. They came over and started asking her questions. Like what does Ginger look like, her hair color, how tall she is, and some ideas where she would be. Mrs. Foutley's job was to call her friends and ask if they've seen Ginger while the police look for her.

She got no answers from Dodie or Macy. She was busy looking for Mitch's phone number, but she never wrote it down. Carl came into the kitchen where his mother was. "Do you know Mitch's phone number?" she asked him, looking frantically through her address book.

"It's in Ginger's cell phone." Carl held up Ginger's cell in his right hand. A pit formed in Mrs. Foutley's stomach. Ginger never went **anywhere** without her phone. She took the phone and went to the phone book and called Mitch.

The phone rang four times, and still no one answered. "Come on," Mrs. Foutley said agitated. She began to pace around the kitchen, not willing to give up. She would stay on till as long as possible if it meant finding her daughter. Someone picked up the phone. "Hello?" asked a tired voice.

"Mitch, is that you?"

"Yeah, who is this?"

"This is Ginger's mom."

"Oh…hi," Mitch said casually.

"Have you seen Ginger?" she asked practically shouting.

"Not since school got out. Why?" he asked starting to sound a bit worried.

"She's not here. I went to go check on her last nigh, and she was gone. Do you have any idea where she would be?"

There was a pause. "Nope. I have no clue. Do you want me to help look?"

"No, it's ok," Mrs. Foutley said with a sigh. "You get some rest. Don't worry about Ginger, I'm sure she's fine."

"If you find her, call me."

"Ok, bye Mitch."

"Talk to you later."

Mrs. Foutley clicked off the phone. Carl looked at her with questioning eyes. "He hasn't seen her either." After many more tries wit the same result, the mother exited to the living room and sat on the couch near the phone. She didn't take her eyes off of it. Carl watched his Mom, thinking about Ginger.

"She better be all right," Carl thought as he went back to his room. "I've never seen Mom like this before." Carl sat, looking out his window, waiting for Ginger to come back.

* * *

The next day, still no Ginger. The neighborhood formed a search group to look for her. Mrs. Foutley had forbidden Carl and Hoodsie to come with, just incase they did find something. Mitch was amongst the first to arrive at the Foutley's house, along with Dodie and Macy. "We want to help." But Mrs. Foutley wouldn't allow it. "Please," Mitch pleaded. "Ginger means a lot to me, and I really want to help find her." This made Mrs. Foutley smile. With a nod, she decided to let the three come with. They would be in her group.

While everyone searched the neighborhood and where other places Ginger like to hang out at, Carl and Hoodsie walked through the park that Ginger and Mitch was the previous night. "I wonder where Ginger is," Hoodsie said breaking the silence. Carl said nothing. He kicked a rock with the toe of his shoe. "What do you think could have happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it!" Carl yelled at his best friend. Hoodsie was shocked by his friend's sudden outburst. "Ok? Everything is going to be ok. I hope." Carl muttered the last bit to himself. He picked up the stone that he was kicking, and threw it, frustrated, into the lake.

"Where the hell are you Ginge?" he asked in his mind as he watched the rock plunge to the bottom of the lake, causing the water to ripple into little waves.

* * *

The search ended with no success. Three days had passed, and there was still no news about Ginger and her where about. Mrs. Foutley had rarely left the phone. And Carl was not allowed to leave the house, his mom was too worried. It's not like he wanted to anyways.

Mrs. Foutley sat in her regular spot, thinking about all these horrible things that could have happened to her only daughter. Was she kidnapped? Did she run away? Where was she? Was she safe? Was she hurting? Horrible thoughts of different ways Ginger could be tortured or even killed played through Mrs. Foutley's mind. She blinked back tears that were springing up in her eyes, trying not to think about all of those morbid thoughts. She had to keep her hopes up. She had to keep thinking and praying that Ginger would return home safely. But her hope was running short, and she was worn down from the lack of sleep. This was truly Hell in her mind.

Just then, the phone rang. It only rang once before Mrs. Foutley snatched it up. "Hello?" she asked eagerly.

"Mrs. Foutley," the voice on the other said. It was police chief, who had become Mrs. Foutley's new friend, and source of hope through these hard days. "Mrs. Foutley, we've found your daughter."

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**

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And cut! Yeah, that looks like a good spot to end. Don't it? Sighs, I know what it's like to be in Carl's place. It sucks. (R.I.P. Lydia) So, who wants me to update soon? If you do, then, REVIEW! REVIEWS YOU STUPID MOTHER FUCKERS….just kidding, I love you. I'm sorry for calling you motherfuckers, unless you don't review. So like last time if you review, you can be my friend and I shall give you a complimentary bag of delicious cookies. If you don't then feel the wrath of Mr. Sniffles! May Mr. Sniffles feast upon your soul! Anyone liked it? Anyone hated it? Then tell me. Now I must leave.**

**With Love**

**Sincerely yours**

**Your buddy**

**Cold Toenails**

**Aka**

**CT**

**Then End :) **


	7. Chapter 7

**Moshi-mosih! I'm back sooner then I expected…I was going to wait till I got 50 reviews, but I have 54! Go me! So thanks all of those who reviewed, and you have been spared from Mr. Sniffles. FOR NOW!**

**I do not own these characters or the song Somewhere by Within Temptations. It makes me cry that song. ;; BOLD is the lyrics to the song by the way.**

**This chapter is dedicated to Lydia.**

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**This is one day before I left off. So it's going back in time, got it?**

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Carl walked down the steps and headed for the front door. "I'm going out," he informed his mother. But like she had been doing for the last couple of days, she did nothing. Just stared at the phone, waiting for some call. Carl said nothing more and left the house. He walked aimlessly around for sometime, but found himself drawn to the park he was at the day he yelled at Hoodsie.

**Lost in the darkness, hoping for a sign  
instead there is only silence;  
Can't you hear my screams...?  
Never stop hoping,  
Need to know where you are  
But one thing is for sure,  
You're always in my heart**

The park was pretty much deserted. There was a couple of families there having picnics, just spending time together. He says a young boy and a girl who were obviously brother and sister because they looked so much alike. "Josh, stop it!" the girl ordered her brother after he tackled her. "Mom, Josh is annoying me!"

Carl smiled at his sight. It reminded him of when both he and Ginger were younger and they would still play together. But over the years they had grown farther apart. Things became more complicated as they got older and their interests grew farther apart. A sudden sting of pain pierced his heart. As much as he tried not to, all he could think about his sister and where she might be. If he could have anything in the world was for to know where she was right now.

**I'll find you somewhere  
I'll keep on trying until my dying day  
I just need to know whatever has happened,  
The Truth will free my soul**.

The two kids caught Carl watching them. They waved at him. Carl just smirked and continued on his walking. He once again stopped at the lake. Sitting at the edge, Carl began to pull out grass blades and scattering them back onto the ground. "Where the hell are you Ginger?" he asked out loud as if she could hear him. For a second he waited for an answer, straining to hear her voice.

**Lost in the darkness, try to find your way home  
I want to embrace you and never let you go  
Almost hope you're in heaven so no one can hurt your soul...  
Living in agony 'cause I just do not know  
Where you are**

Carl pulled his knees up and rested his head on them, staring into the dark water. He didn't want to admit it, but he knew that Ginger was gone. That she would never be coming home. The other half his mind told him that there was still hope. Maybe she was just doing this on purpose. When he gets home she would be sitting on the couch, watching TV. Mom would be in the kitchen, just about to yell at him after she found his latest experiment in the refrigerator.

His Mom was gone too. Their little family was just as lost as he felt. He had come here to find his sister, because he felt like she was here. He could feel her footsteps.

Carl got up to get some rocks to throw at the water. He had always enjoyed doing this with Ginger when they were younger. This was the place where they went every time their parents fought. They would spend hour's just throwing rocks in the water. No words exchanged, but they both knew what they were feeling.

So Carl stood there, chucking the stones into the water. Each time he threw the farther and harder. "Where." **_Plunk! _**"Are." **_Plunk!_** "You!" **_Plunk! _**He stood in place, breathing heavily. "Damn it. Out of rocks," he mumbled to himself.

Little did he know that he was closer to his sister then he thought.

He began to wonder how long he had been gone. Surely his mom would start to worry. That is, if she even noticed that he was gone. Just before he left, he spotted a wild flower standing right beside his shoe. Carl picked it out of the ground.

**I'll find you somewhere  
I'll keep on trying until my dying day  
I just need to know whatever has happened,  
The Truth will free my soul**.

Carl plucked the flowered part of the stem, and dropped it above the lake. Gracefully, the flower head drifted down onto the surface of the lake. He watched is floating there for a moment, and then decided it was time to leave.

Carl thought that he had come to this park to find Ginger, or was it that Ginger had come to find him?

**Wherever you are, I won't stop searching.  
Whatever it takes, I need to know**

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_**Ok now it is where I had left off from the last chapter. This is the next day. Does everyone understand?**_

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****

"Where is she? Where is Ginger?" Mrs. Foutley yelled into the phone. There was a pause of silence. "Hello?"

"Mrs. Foutley, you might want to sit down."

"Where is she?" Mrs. Foutley asked again. "Where is my daughter?"

"Mrs. Foutley, we found Ginger when we were looking in the park-."

"Is she alright? When is she coming home?" Mrs. Foutley cut in.

The police officer stopped talking. "A group of teens found her body washed up in the shallow end of the lake at a park." Mrs. Foutley almost dropped the phone. She sat there looking agape.

"Are you sure it's her?"

"Nothing is for certain," the police said, trying to offer some hope. "But we need you to come down and identify the body. And maybe take a DNA test just to make sure." Mrs. Foutley nodded, even though the officer couldn't see it, and hung up the phone.

Carl stood in the doorway of the living, watching his mother go into a silent break down. For a moment Mrs. Foutley has left this world, but the next she got up and went to get her car keys. "Who was that?" Carl asked as she walked past him. She didn't answer. "Where are you going?" Again he was ignored.

Carl fallowed Mrs. Foutley out to the car. "Where are you going?" Mrs. Foutley started up the car. "That was the police wasn't it?"

She froze staring at her son through the window. "You stay home." And she drove off to the see if her daughter had been found and if Ginger was really dead. Carl stood by himself, watching his mother drive away.

**I'll find you somewhere  
I'll keep on trying until my dying day  
I just need to know whatever has happened,  
The Truth will free my soul**

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**

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And that is where it ends. Ok this chapter latterly sucked, so I would like to apologize to yall. I don't know, I just felt like doing this. I love this song and I don't know… I guess it's just that I thought maybe that's how he would have felt about his sister being gone… God damn it now I am crying. Stupid song, why must you make me cry…REVIEW NOW…. I miss Mr. Sniffles now too. Again, sorry for the sucky update and if you were confused at all.**


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm back! Sooner then I expected, but I have nothing to do. So it's ok… I think there is still a few left. Thanks to all my loyal reviewers, the rest of you ARE STILL DEAD! I hope Mr. Sniffles feasts upon your soul tonight. IF YOU HAVE ONE…. I wasn't stalling people! I just really liked that song and I kinda thought that it would fit with the story. All people who have had a missing person that cared about know that feeling. Now I shall go back to the story. **

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Hours later, Mrs. Foutley returned home. Carl was waiting for her in the living room, watching the Spanish channel. Even though he didn't know any of thing about speaking that language, it kept him occupied trying to figure out what they were saying. At the sound of the front door opening, Carl snapped his head towards the door. His mother walked through, looking lost. "Was it her?" he asked. Mrs. Foutley made no acknowledgement to Carl and walked up the stairs to her room. She was gone. She looked more like a zombie then the lively person she was just a week before.

Carl knew what that meant. He wasn't as stupid as he looked. He knew that his mom had been called down to identify his sister's body. And it was Ginger. Loud sobs came from up stairs.

The days leading up to her funeral, the house was pretty much dead. Little movement went on. Mrs. Foutley had locked herself up in the room and refused to come out with the exception to go to the bathroom or to get something to eat. The only time that she had any human contact was when she had to make plans for Ginger's funeral. Picking out the casket, the flowers, the dress Ginger would be buried in was unbearable to her. Never would she have thought that she would be putting her young daughter to rest.

Carl was left to take care of himself. He prepared his own meals, went to bed when he wanted. He could do anything he wanted with out getting in trouble. It was somewhat enjoyable for a while, but it left a void in his heart. Carl knew that he shouldn't be enjoying himself when he knew that his sister had been murdered.

From what he had learned, she had been murdered the night that she went missing. Around two o'clock in the morning. She had died from asphyxiation, death to lack of oxygen. In Ginger's case, she had been strangled. Dark ligature marks had been found around her neck. There was no water in her lungs so she was put into the lake after she was murdered. When the police came to look at her, there was a small piece of rope still wrapped around her right ankle, suggesting that she had been tied to something heavy to keep her from being found. But some how, the body broke away from it and Ginger's body had came to the surface.

But the thing that surprises people that knew Ginger the most, was that the autopsy showed that she was pregnant. This made Mitch one of the prime suspects, but nobody really believes he did it. He seemed to kinda and willing to help with finding Ginger and giving help to find her murderer, that he appeared to be innocent. He even offered to take a lie detector test. He never did though, for some reason the police found it unnecessary. Especially since he had an alibi. Mitch was at home that night. His parents confirmed that. They said they thought something was wrong, and went to check on him and he was there, fast asleep. The time was the same time that Ginger was thought to be strangled. Mitch was safe.

* * *

The Foutley's and the Bishops were the first to arrive at the funeral. Dodie and Mrs. Bishop lead Mrs. Foutley up to the open casket to pay her respects to Ginger. The three kneeled there, not saying a word. Mrs. Foutley had on her expressionless face as she was walked backed to her seat.

Next was Carl's turn. He wanted to go by himself and before everyone else came. Hoodsie was looking at the flowers that had been delivered, trying his best to stay away from the depression of funerals. And Mrs. Bishop and Dodie were trying to console Mrs. Foutley, or at least trying to get her to show some signs of life.

Carl kneeled in front of his sister, trying to think of something to say for his final goodbye. His hands were clasped together in signs of prayer. But all he could think of was all the think of was the things that Ginger would miss out on in life. She wouldn't graduate; she wouldn't celebrate any more holidays, no more boyfriends. Ginger never got to go to any of her proms; there would be no graduation from high school for her, no college. She would never know what it feels like to be married or have kids. No more living. All of these thoughts angered him. Carl clasped his hands closer together and shut his eyes tightly to keep out the tears were trying to escape. "I swear I'm going to find who did this to you," Carl whispered to his sister. "I'm going to find him, and I am going to make him pay." He opened his eyes and looked at his sister. Ginger looked pretty in her long, flowing white dress. Her hands clasped around a fake white rose.

Carl began to chew on his bottom lip. "We all miss you Ginge. Everyone does. You should see all the people that wanted to help find you… Mom isn't taking this well. She isn't the same anymore. It killed her to find out what had happened to you… She really misses you."

The tears that he had been desperately trying to hold back all these days began to fall. "I miss you too. I really do… Nothing has been the same since you have left. It really hurts me to think about how you died, what your last moments of life were like. How scared you must have been. How much pain you had to go through."

Carl's head fell onto his hands. His eyes closed once more. "But I swear that I will find the bastard that did this to you. I will look for him till my dieing day. Justice will be served. You have my word, Sis."

Many people turned up for the memorial service. Some people the Foutley family knew, like neighbors and people from school. But there was also some people that didn't know them, but has seen the story on the news and wanted to come.

A few people from the school came up to share some memories that they had of Ginger. Dodie took the longest time. One, because she would always have to stop every other sentence since she would brake down into sobs. And two, she wanted to share just about everything that Ginger, Macy and her had done since they had become BFFs.

Mitch came in a bit later then Macy. He just come back from paying his respects and took a seat, three seats to the right, of Carl. Carl looked over at him. Mitch was looking ahead at a picture of Ginger that was set by her coffin. He looked over to where Carl was and smiled at him. Traces of tears were on his face.

Carl looked away quickly. There was something about Mitch that gave him an uneasy feeling. Like he someone had grabbed him by the throat and was strangling whatever life he had left in him. Rubbing the back of his neck, Carl tried to shake off the feeling. "Mitch didn't kill his sister," Carl told himself. "The police didn't think that it was him. He couldn't have done it, he loved her."

Carl looked back at Mitch. "But what if they were wrong?"

* * *

The unknown guest didn't go to the actual burial. That was left for the family and the close friends. Once a few hymns had been said, Ginger's coffin was in the ground and buried, Mrs. Foutley kneeled on the fresh dirt in front of Ginger's marker. She didn't seem to care that she was getting her best black dress dirty. Nothing in the world seemed to matter to her anymore. Ginger was gone. She had lost her only daughter. Was there really any reason to have hope in this world, in this God who was supposedly supposed to be watching over them, loving everyone? If He was so great then how could he take a child and end their life so suddenly and horribly? How could He love the people that did this to innocent people? Why couldn't it have been her instead of her young daughter? Now, Mrs. Foutley didn't believe if there was a god. Not if he could allow this to happen.

After ten minutes, people began to leave. Mitch went over to Mrs. Foutley. "I'm sorry for your loss," he said quietly. "Maybe you should go home and get some rest." She didn't budge. "Come on Mrs. Foutley." Slowly, she got up and walked to the Bishop's car.

Mitch began to walk back to his own car. "Are you coming too Carl?" he asked.

Carl turned from staring at Ginger's grave to look at Mitch. No words came to mind. "No, I'll walk," Carl came up with. "I'm going to stay awhile longer."

"Are you sure? I can give you a ride if you want."

"I'm sure."

Mitch shrugged and headed back to his car. Now Carl was alone. He kneeled on the freshly piled dirt and gazed at his marble marker. He fingered the engraved words as he read:

**Ginger Louise Foutley **

**April 17th 1989- May 4th 2006**

**Loving daughter, sister, and friend**

Carl grasped some loose dirt in his hands. "You don't know how much I want you back," he said out loud. "I love you."

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**

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And I stop again! Ok this isn't a cliffhanger, right? This is not the last chapter, we still need to find out who killed her, and will they pay for it. And how will the family and friends cope? MORE SONGS! Yay! I love music! I picked some of my favorite songs too! Yay! CHEER NOW! So yes, it's not over yet. But I'll give you a hint, the more reviews I get, the sooner I shall update… which you better hope is a lot because I wont have so much time now. But if I get enough people demanding and threatening me, then yes, I shall add more. SO REVIEW? Otherwise you will be, or are, dead to me. Oh yeah, I don't know what Ginger's birthday is or her middle name. So we'll go with what I got. Ok? Unless you know her middle name, then correct me. OR WAS SHE LAST NAMELESS! Gasp!**

**With Love**

**Cold Toenails aka CT**

**I would like to thank the fallowing viewers:**

**DarkAngelSuicide- one of my most loyal reviews. I LOVE YOU BUDDY!**

**Marco1094- IT WAS THE SONG! Lol love you too. You get the award for complaining about my cliffhangers the most! Cheers!**

**Phantomphan1992- GERIK WILL CAN NOT DEFEAT MR. SNIFFLES! Yay for phantom of the opera!**

**StoryCrafter- love you!**

**Skyler- You get the award for the biggest Mitch hater! Woo! Go you!**

**Ira-dragonfruit- hi! Thanks for your support!**

**SexyHalfDemon- yes, I really do like them. They're so fun!**

**01angelic- love you! **

**Moving Shadow- MY HOMIE!**

**MyLadyTopaz- Thank you my buddy, my pal, my chum, my amigo, my homie…what eva else there is**

**Hippielover459- you have been with me for nearly the whole story, so thank you. You are truly the greatest person to step foot here… besides me… lol Jk about me! **

**Amaherst- thanks for the reviews! I love you too! I don't delay, I procrastinate!**

**Les- HIIIIIIII! Thanks for the review. It means a lot to me**

**Sword Alchemist- oh yes, I did stop there. AND I STOP HERE TOO! Ha!…. I love you buddy! **

**Me- Thanks for the review Me….or you….wait….now I've confused myself**

**So thanks to all those have reviewed. I know that I didn't get you all down, but yeah. So this is not the end, THERE IS LOTS MORE LEFT! Ok like maybe three chapters. I just wanted to thank people. Peace!**

**With Love**

**Again**

**CT**


	9. Chapter 9

**Damn you people! Damn you all! Except those who reviewed. Ok, tell me if this is right, I have just about 2,500 hits on this story, and 112 hits on the last chapter. And only 15 reviews for the whole thing and 10 for the last chapter. God people! Why are you so cruel? Stupid hit counter. Tell me if that is right people? God it makes me pissed. But any who, I'll write for the other people that reviewed, the true fans…or what ever….**

**Oh yea, I don't own the song I am about to use…yes another song! But I think that it fits pretty well with it. Or how some people feel when this stuff happens to people that they know.**

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Carl was walking around outside, which he seemed to be doing a lot lately. Especially in the park where Ginger was found. He sat near the lake like he did two weeks ago, wondering where Ginger was. But now he knew. He didn't want to believe it, but it was better to know then always be wondering. There was no new leads in Ginger's murder. It was like the person disappeared without a trace. 

Carl was sitting with his knees to his chest thinking about what all had happened. He was sure who did it. But there was no real proof. Besides, the police was sure it was someone else. But Carl knew, he could just feel it. He was lost in the serenity of the park, when he was interrupted by a familiar laugh. He snapped around to see whom it was.

It was Mitch.

The strange sensation he had felt the day of the funeral returned. Mitch wasn't alone. He was with a girl. She was a very pretty burnet girl, and she seemed to be very close with Mitch. Too close for Carl. Carl got up and walked over to Mitch.

"Oh, hey Carl," Mitch said casually. Carl said nothing, just started at Mitch.

"Who is that?" the girl whispered in Mitch's ear.

"Uh Carl, this is Samantha," Mitch said uncomfortably. "She's…my cousin." Samantha gave Mitch a 'what are you talking about' look. Carl watched as they had a conversation with their eyes.

"Pleased to meet you," Samantha said brightly. "Just wondering, how do you know Mitch?" Mitch turned pale.

"I had a friend that knew him," Carl said. The three stood awkwardly in silence.

"Well, I'll see you later then," Mitch said to Carl. And he and Samantha walked away. Carl watched them.

* * *

**I want to take his eyes out  
Just for looking at you  
Yes I do  
I want to take his hands off  
Just for touching you  
Yes I do**

* * *

Further down, he saw Samantha and Mitch get into a fight. Samantha looked pretty angry, demanding Mitch to explain this to her. Mitch tried to calm her. But Samantha had enough, and stormed away. Mitch looked back at Carl. Carl smirked and waved to him. Hesitantly, Mitch waved back. Then he left too. 

Carl found this whole Samantha thing a little odd. Was it to soon for Mitch to start dating gain? Why didn't he tell her about Ginger? Something about this made Carl furious and even surer that Mitch was the one who did this to his sister. He murdered her because he messed up and that was the only way he could think of to get out of it.

So Carl decided to fallow Mitch to see if he could find any clues that would tie him to Ginger's death.

* * *

As Mitch neared his house, he got this feeling that he was being fallowed. He swerved around to see who was stalking him. No one was there. He shrugged and began walking up the stairs of his parent's house. 

Carl peered around the tree he was hiding behind. He saw Mitch take a key from under a potted plant, unlocked the door and put it back. Then he disappeared into the house. Carl snuck low to the ground, and went to a window of the house. Cautiously, he looked inside. The window was facing the kitchen. Mitch was on the phone, walking back and forth. Carl jumped back when Mitch came near. But he was not seen.

* * *

Ten minutes later Mitch came out of the house, to his car. Carl stayed hidden behind the tree again and watched Mitch drive away. When the car was no longer in sight, he dashed to the where he saw Mitch hide the extra key. 

"There better not be anyone else home," Carl thought to himself as he turned the key. Before entering, he looked around to see if anyone was watching him. He saw no one. "The key!" Carl forgot mentally slapping himself. He put the key back just incase Mitch came back sooner then he expected. Slowly he creaked open the door and went inside. He locked the door from the inside.

The house was silent, not signs of life. He set out to find Mitch's room first. It seemed to be the best place to look. Luckily for Carl, the house was only one story tell so it would be easier to look around.

He found Mitch's room the second door t other left in the hallway. He had left the door open. Carl looked began to sift through his things. He spotted a desk covered with papers. He opened one the top container only to find lots of pens and papers. He tried the second one. Empty. Carl growled in frustration and began to look somewhere else.

"Look again," a light voice said in Carl's head.

"What?" Carl asked out loud.

"The desk. Look again."

Carl immediately went back to the desk. He sifted through the mess of papers. His hand came across something cold. It felt like some sort of thin chain. He yanked it out. It was a necklace. But not just any necklace. Carl would recognize that necklace anywhere. It was Ginger's, she wore it almost everyday. It used to be their grandma's, from their fathers side, and she had passed it down to Ginger. It was a sliver heart with an angel engraved into it. The angel was kneeling down, crying. The necklace was specially made after their uncle died when he was only two weeks old.

Carl grasped onto the chain angrily. "It had to be Mitch, it just had to be. Who else would have this?" Carl thought.

The sound of a key turning came from the living room. "God damn it! He's back already!"

He hid the necklace back under the paper, shut the drawer, and began to climb out the window. He was just about out, when he heard Mitch coming down the hall. Carl panicked and fell. "God," Carl moaned quietly as he pulled himself up from the ground. Mitch was just about to enter the room. Carl jumped over the fence and ran in the direction of his home.

Mitch looked out the window and saw someone running. "Was that Carl?" he asked himself. He shook his head.

* * *

Carl didn't stop running until he was behind the door to his house. He leaned against it panting. "It couldn't be," he thought to himself. "Maybe it was someone else's. I'll have to check Ginger's room to make sure." 

His heart sunk. No one had set foot in Ginger's room since the police finished looking around for evidence in it. Everyone else was too afraid to go in there because of the pain that it would bring. "But I have to go. It might be the only way to prove that Mitch did it."

Carl took his time going up the stairs. Mrs. Foutley had gone back to work, but she still hasn't snapped out of her zombie state. This worried her son, because nobody knew what she would do. Friends kept eyes on her to make sure that she wouldn't hurt anyone or hurt herself.

Carl stood in front of the door, his had on the brass knob. Slowly he turned it knob, waiting for someone to jump at him and yell at him for going into his sister's room with out permission. He had snuck into Ginger's room many times to snoop around for something to black mail her with. "Come on you can do it," Carl thought, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath. "It's just like all the other times. No one is going to try to stop you."

Holding his breath, he turned the knob and harshly flung open the door. He exhaled in relief to find it empty. Carl half expected Ginger's ghost to be in there, waiting for him. Like in the movie The Sixth Sense when the boy went into that girl's room and she was waiting for him under the bed.

"It was just a movie," he told himself. "Ginger isn't here. There are no such things as ghosts." But he checked under the bed anyways to see if anything was underneath. Nothing but dust, some clothes, and a pony doll. Carl grabbed the pony and brought it out. He smiled when he remembered Ginger's pony collection. He dropped it onto the bed and went to look for the necklace.

Carl went straight to her jewelry box, where he knew was the only other place she would keep it besides around her neck. He opened it. The necklace was not in its usually spot. Just to make sure, he checked the rest of the box. The necklace was not found. That was enough for him. Carl took one last look around the room. But then he saw something that he had never noticed before. It was a large blue book on her bookshelf. Carl went over to check it out. When he opened it, he found out it was false, and Ginger's journal was inside it. "So that is where she hid it," Carl said out loud. "Pretty tricky sis." He sat on her bed and began to read it.

After reading the last page, Carl slammed it shut. "That bastard," Carl whispered. Now he had absolute proof that Mitch should seriously be considered the person who did this. But before taking this to the police, Carl wanted to make Mitch pay for what he did.

* * *

**And I want to rip his heart out  
Just for hurting you  
And I want to break his mind down  
Yes I do**

* * *

After hours of waiting, Carl saw Mitch leave his house. He fallowed him again. He fallowed him back to the park. Carl stood behind a tree and watched Mitch. He was standing on the side of the lake, holding a flower in his hand. He was talking to himself. Mitch smiled as he pulled off each petal and let it float into the water. His smile made Carl feel sick to his stomach. That was all he could take, he had to get him now.

* * *

**And I want to make him  
Regret life since the day he met you  
Yes I do**

* * *

Carl tackled Mitch to the ground. "What the hell!" Mitch exclaimed as he pushed Carl off of him. "Carl, what are you doing?" 

Carl stood with clenched fists. "You bastard!" Carl went to attack Mitch again. But Mitch caught Carl's first before it hit him.

"What are you doing!"

"I know you what you did! I know that you did it!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You killed Ginger! You killed my sister!"

Mitch stood stunned. Carl took this to his advantage. He hit him squarely in the nose. Mitch put his hand up to his nose, blood seeped onto his fingers. He began to laugh. Carl watched him, confused. "You are one crazy kid," Mitch said whipping his nose. He hit Carl in the jaw.

This didn't discourage him. "You know you did it! I'm gonna make you regret everything you ever did to her!" Carl tried to get Mitch again, but Mitch once again caught his fist and with his other hand punched Carl in the stomach.

"I didn't do anything to her."

"Yes you did," Car said through breaths. "I know you hit her. I read her journal."

Mitch punched him in the right eye. "I didn't! I loved her!"

"You murdered her!"

"I loved her," Mitch said as he struck his dead girlfriend's younger brother. Tears began to fall from his eyes.

"You murdered her!" Carl brought back his fist, and slammed it into the side of Mitch's face, sending him flying to the ground.

* * *

**And I want to make him  
Take back all that he took from you  
Yes I do**

* * *

"I didn't do it," Mitch repeated. 

"I didn't do it," he said louder, pulling on the grass. Mitch shot up and began to furiously attack Carl. "I didn't do it! I loved her!"

"But you killed her!" Carl blocked one of his oncoming assaults with his arms.

"I never hurt Ginger!"

"Bull shit!"

* * *

**And I want to rip his heart out  
Just for hurting you  
And I want to break his mind down  
Yes I do**

* * *

Meanwhile at the Foutley house, Mrs. Foutley had just returned home when the telephone rang. "Hello?" she asked into the phone. 

"Mrs. Foutley?" the police chief said.

"Yes, this is she."

"We found the man that murdered your daughter," he said. Mrs. Foutley almost dropped the phone.

"What?" The police chief began to repeat what he said. "Yes I heard you," she cut in. "It's just. I just don't know what to think."

"Well, we are sure it is him," he went on. "He came in an hour ago and admitted to it, but once we started questioning him, he said he didn't do it. We are quit sure."

"Who is he?"

"Do you know a Mr. Davidson?"

"Yes," Mrs. Foutley said. "He lives across the street from us."

"Uh huh. And what is your relationship with him?"

"We dated once," Mrs. Foutley said fast. "But only once. Do you really think that it is him?"

"We'll find out Mrs. Foutley."

* * *

**_At the Police station_**

* * *

"I'm telling you I didn't do it!" Mr. Davidson cried. 

"Then why did you tell us you did?"

"I don't know!" Mr. Davidson buried his head into his hands. "I don't know why I did it."

"Just tell us what happened that night," a blond policeman said.

"I already told you! I was at home with my wife!"

"No you weren't. We checked in with her and she said you were out somewhere. But she didn't know where." The blond haired man leaned next to the fat, middle aged Mr. Davidson. "Now do you want to tell me where you were?"

Mr. Davidson was now in tears. "Ok, I'll tell you." He stopped talking. The policeman waited for him to continue. Mr. Davidson took in a dead breath. "I-I was out with another woman." Mr. Davidson looked up. "But don't tell my wife. She can't know!"

"Who were you with?" Mr. Davidson said nothing. "You have to tell us so we can check with her." Mr. Davidson's heard fell again.

"I-I."

* * *

**Ending time! Well that was fun wasn't it? Oh yeah, that song was Just For by Nickleback. Now to reply to some people-**

**Skyler- thanks for the review. I hope your cousin is all right. Did she get back with him? It seems a lot of girls do. I don't know why but they just do. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Moving Shadow- I'm not going to reply to you since we are talking on MSN right now, so HA!**

**Me- sighs, Lydia was or is my sister…. She was kidnapped back when I was ten and she was twelve, when she was walking home from her friend's house… but sadly she never came home…. They found her body. She was beaten to death and raped…. They found the guy who did thank god, but still… she was my best friend…. I'm not mad at you for asking I guess…. It kinda helps to tell someone…. That's where I got the song from, because I remember waiting for her to come home and that song I just used once I found out my neighbor did it…. Damn why am I talking about this. Clear some things up for you? But any who that who Lydia is and thanks for reviewing.**

**I only replied to the anonymous people this time since I review reply them. So the last chapter I shall thank everyone. You know the drill, review!**

**With Love**

**CT **


	10. Chapter 10

**Moshi moshi! I decided that this would be a good time to update, since it's been a couple days and all…. I use another song, which is Angels by Within Temptation, and it's my favorite song at the moment. The song is from Ginger's point of view, just so you know. I know that I have been using songs a lot, but music is a big part of my life so yeah…**

**_Italic means dreams_**

* * *

Carl walked through the back door into the kitchen. He went straight towards the refrigerator to get an icepack to put over his eye. "Where were you?" Mrs. Foutley asked.

Carl jumped at the sound of her voice. She was standing in the doorway, watching at him intently. "Out," Carl answered.

"What the hell happened to you?" Mrs. Foutley asked once she noticed the various wounds on his face and arms.

"…I fell." Mrs. Foutley looked at Carl in disbelief at his pathetic lie. "I swear to God, that's what happened."

"Well anyways," Mrs. Foutley said, deciding it was better to drop the subject, "You'll never guess what. The police think that they caught **_the_** guy. They called around an hour ago."

Carl stood in disbelief. "But how could have they got Mitch? I was just with him," Carl thought out loud.

"What are you talking about? Mitch didn't do it, Mr. Davidson did. He admitted to it!"

"What? Who? Who the fuck is Mr. Davidson?"

"Language Carl."

"Sorry, who the heck is he," Carl corrected himself. He took a second to see if he could remember anyone he knew with that last name. Then it hit him. "Not our neighbor, Mr. Davidson."

Mrs. Foutley nodded. "That's the one."

"But it can't be," Carl said. "Why would he want to do that?"

"I don't know," Mrs. Foutley said with a shrug. "But the police are trying to figure that our right now. I'm going to be in the living room waiting for any new news." She left Carl standing alone with ice over his blackened eye.

"What the hell," he murmured to himself. He was so sure that it was Mitch. All the evidence that he found pointed to him. Where did this guy come from?

* * *

That night, it was all over the news. Finally people didn't have to worry about a psycho killer on the loose. Mitch sat on his living room couch, smiling smugly at the TV. "Well that's interesting," he thought. "I wonder who the poor bastard it."

"It's about time they found that freak," Zara, Mitch's younger sister, said. She pushed back her raven out of her blue eyes. "The whole thing is just sickening."

"Mhm," Mitch said feeling uncomfortable with the whole subject.

Zara looked over at her older brother. "Sorry about that. I know that you and Ginger were like…close."

"Mhm," Mitch replied again. "I'm going to bed."

"Ok." Zara turned her attention back to the story.

Mitch lay on his bed, trying to go to sleep. It wasn't that late, only eleven, but today was just wearing him down. First the whole Samantha thing, and then Ginger's little brother had to come and make things worse. "Little punk," Mitch said putting his hand up to his bruised face. "He's a lot stronger then he looks."

The beating marks brought up quit a stir in his family. When he had came home, his mom jumped out of the chair she was in and was crying hysterically. "What happened to you?" she had asked him.

"Nothing," Mitch said coolly. "Just got into a little fight. Nothing that important."

"Did you win?" Mitch's father asked him.

"Harley!"

"Well did you?"

"Yeah," Mitch had told them. "I'm going to be in my room if you need me. Tell me when it's time to eat."

"That's all he wants to do anymore," Mitch's father said once Mitch was out of sight. "He spends most of the day in that room of his."

"Can you blame him? His girl friend was murdered. My poor baby, he must be taking it hard."

The only up of this day so far was that fool who had admitted to what had happened to Ginger. Mitch smiled to himself and turned onto his side. He closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep.

* * *

**Down at the station**

* * *

"Your story checks out," a new police officer said to Mr. Davidson. "We can let you go in a second."

A weary Mr. Davidson rubbed his hands over his eyes. All the questioning and denying had really worn him down. But finally it was over. "Uh, do you have to tell my wife?" he asked the policeman.

"Well," he replied with an awkward smile. "I think you should… Some how the news about you admitting to this crime had spilled out into the public. So would you either have her think that you are a murderer or a cheater?"

Mr. Davidson thumped his head onto the wooden table. "Maybe I'm better off being in jail."

* * *

**Back in Mitch's room**

* * *

Mitch tossed and turned in his bed lost in a restless sleep. He was once again disturbed by his reoccurring nightmare.

* * *

**Sparkling angel I believed  
**

**You were my savior in my time of need.  
**

**Blinded by faith I couldn't hear  
**

**All the whispers, the warnings so clear.**

* * *

"_Mitch? What's wrong?" Ginger asked her boyfriend. Mitch stood in front of her, hands behind his back and his head down. "Did something happen?" _

_Again, Mitch said nothing. "Mitch, honey, what's going on?" She took a step foreword; her had out to touch him. To her surprise, he snapped back. "Mitch?" she asked again._

"_Ginger." He looked up at her. His eyes were like something she had never seen before. They were full of regret and sorrow. But despite what his eyes said, there was a smile painted on his face. "Please forgive me."_

"_What are you-!"_

* * *

**I see the angels,  
**

**I'll lead them to your door.  
**

**There's no escape now,  
**

**No mercy no more.  
**

**No remorse cause I still remember  
**

**The smile when you tore me apart.**

* * *

_Mitch pushed Ginger to the ground. "What are you doing!" She saw the tape and rope in his hands. Her eyes widened in fear as she realized what was going on._

"_I'm sorry Ginger," Mitch said again. "But I can't let you or anyone else that comes along ruin my life." Ginger tried to get up, but she was pushed back down again. "Now hold still and I'll make this as quick." He ripped out a long piece of duck tape. As he bent down to place it over Ginger's mouth, she kicked him in the place where it really counts. As Mitch knelt bent over, Ginger started to make a run for it._

"_Hey, where the hell are you going?" he yelled out to her. "Get back here! You're only making it harder on yourself!"_

_But Ginger kept running. She didn't look back. "Ha caught you," Mitch said grabbing onto her hair. He pulled her back harshly. Ginger screamed. "Scream all you want bitch, there is no one around to here you."_

"_Why?" Ginger choked out through her tears. He didn't answer. He took out his rope and tied it tightly around her neck. Ginger fought hard, but she was no match for her insane boyfriend. She managed to claw his arms, leaving long scratch marks, but this only enraged Mitch. He pulled tightly on the rope, causing Ginger's complexion to change colors. _

_After a few minutes of the struggle, she stopped moving, her hand still clenched on Mitch's wrist. Slowly, it became limp and he was released. Mitch checked her breathing. Ginger was gone._

* * *

**You took my heart,  
Deceived me right from the start.  
You showed me dreams;  
I wished they turned into real.  
You broke a promise and made me realize.  
It was all just a lie.**

**

* * *

**

_Mitch kissed her now dead hand and placed it over her heart. "I'm sorry Ginge," he said. "But it was for the best."_

* * *

**Sparkling angel, I couldn't see  
your dark intentions, your feelings for me.  
Fallen angel, tell me why?  
What is the reason, the thorn in your eye?  
I see the angels,  
I'll lead them to your door  
There's no escape now  
No mercy no more  
No remorse cause I still remember**

**The smile when you tore me apart**

* * *

Mitch picked up Ginger's body, put her over his shoulders, and carried it with much ease. Her head hit limply against his back. This didn't bother him. He still had to finish what he was supposed to do. 

_He took her back to where they were, beside the lake. He placed Ginger down and sat beside her. Mitch closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. "What have I gotten myself into?"_

_Mitch went not far from Ginger, so he could see if anyone was coming. When he came back, he held in his hands a very heavy rock. He took one more stop at his car to get some more rope._

* * *

**You took my heart,  
Deceived me right from the start.  
You showed me dreams,  
I wished they turn into real.  
You broke the promise and made me realize.  
It was all just a lie.**

**

* * *

**

"_You see Ginger, this way things are better for the both of us," Mitch talked to the corpse and he readied it to rid of. "I can still go to college and get on with my life, and you can spend the rest of your time in a place where you and the baby won't be hurt anymore."_

* * *

**Could have been forever.  
Now we have reached the end**

* * *

_He looked at her face, as if she was going to say something in reply. Mitch went on, "Remember when we first met? You had just broken up with that Darren guy. He didn't deserve you. Nobody did." Mitch froze as he remembered all the memories he shared with Ginger. Tears began to spark in his eyes. _

"_But you don't understand," he said. A lump started to form in his throat. "Dad was being hard on me. All he did was ever complain about how I'm going to end up as a screw up like my brother. I just wanted to make him happy… It was all just so frustrating on me. I guess you were an easy target, so I took it all out on you. But I never really wanted to hurt you. Believe me, if I could make things different, I would. But this is the way it has to be." He saw the pretty necklace around Ginger's broken neck, and decided that he should take it off. Maybe to keep as a remembrance of her._

* * *

**This world may have failed you,  
It doesn't give you a reason why.  
You could have chosen a different path in life.**

* * *

_Mitch finished tying up Ginger. With some trouble, he managed to pick her up along with the rock and set her into the water. "This isn't the way I wanted it to end," Mitch whispered as he watched Ginger slowly sink to the bottom of the lake. The lump had double, making it hard to talk. "I'm sorry."_

* * *

**The smile when you tore me apart.  
You took my heart,  
Deceived me right from the start.  
You showed me dreams,  
I wished they turn into real.  
You broke the promise and made me realize.  
It was all just a lie.**

* * *

Mitch sat up in bed in a cold sweat. He looked over at his clock. It said two thirty A.M. shaking his head; he got up out of bed and went to the bathroom.

He stood in front of the sink watching the cold water run. He splashed some onto his face. Mitch looked into the mirror. His dead eyes looked back at him. All he could think about was Ginger and what he had done. "I didn't want to," he murmured to himself. "It was the only way."

* * *

**Could have been forever.  
Now we have reached the end.**

* * *

"Now you are going to let two innocent people die," a strange voice said in his head.

Mitch froze, clutching the sink. He grinded his teeth as he looked back at himself. He was a murderer. It was all that he saw. No matter how many time he would ask for forgiveness, no matter how many times he tried to tell himself it was for the best that was all that he could see himself as. A killer. Even if that other guy took the blame for what had happened, he would still be the killer.

Mitch couldn't take the guilt anymore. It was destroying him. "I can't do this anymore," he said softly to himself. "I can't let another person die because of me." Mitch left the bathroom, changed into some casual clothes, and left his house. This was it, he had to tell someone. He had to turn himself in.

* * *

Carl woke up that Sunday morning with a strange feeling of relief. Something just told him that today was going to be a good day. After getting ready, he went down into the living room. His mother was still upstairs sleeping, even though it was ten in the morning. Carl turned on the TV. It was on the news channel. His mouth fell agape.

On the screen, a woman was reporting about Mitch and his confession. A wide smile spread on Carl's face. "I knew!" he said loudly, jumping up. "I knew that fag did it!"

"Late last night," the new lady said. "Mitch Sanderson was arrested for the murder of young Ginger Foutley, who was missing and later found straggled to death in a park earlier this year. Mr. Sanderson was the one that turned himself in, offering all evidence he could to the police."

"The guilt must have made him crack," Carl thought to himself. "It's about time. At least now he will get what he deserves."

* * *

The next year, Mitch was sentenced to life in prison. The Foutley's were returned Ginger's angel necklace and finally had some piece of mind.

Mr. Davidson was set free of course. But sadly his wife left him. But he deserved it for cheating on her.

* * *

The day after the sentence, Carl returned to Ginger's grave sight. Mrs. Foutley decided not to come, it was too early and too painful for her. But Carl didn't mind going alone; it would be easier with out his mother crying there.

Carl sat in front of two headstones, and one belonged to his older sister Ginger, and one to his would have been niece, Lydia Irene Foutley. This was his idea. He thought Ginger wasn't the only one that had lost her life, poor little Lydia wasn't even able to experience life and he thought that she deserved to be remembered to. Everyone else thought that it was a good idea to buy her a marker. It was a white, heart shaped stone with a crying angel on top. Carl was also the one that named her. He had a feeling that the unborn baby was a girl. He got the two names after two characters in a story that Ginger had wrote.

"They finally got him sis. Mitch turned himself in," Carl said with a faint smile. "He wanted to apologize to us, but I couldn't accept it. I hope you aren't mad, but I just hate that guy. I always did. I never knew why you even went out with that creep in the first place."

Carl took in a deep breath. "I know that I haven't visited in a long time. But it's kind of hard. Mom didn't come, but I'm sure she'll want to on her own time." He tried to think of something else to say. "Did you see that I got Lydia her own stone? It kind of cost a lot, but some people pitched in to help pay… If Lydia actually turned out to be a guy, tell him or her that I'm sorry I just guessed."

He smiled lightly. "I miss you lots still Ginger. I hope you two are happy where ever you are. I love you sis, and I always will."

* * *

**The end! I'm going to work on my other As Told By Ginger story now, so if you want to read it, go ahead. It doesn't have many reviews. Yup the story is over. Through all the twists and turns, through all the cliffhangers, which were about every single chapter, it finally comes to an end. I would like to thank all of my loyal reviewers for keeping me writing and bring a smile onto my face. Especially when they yelled at me for cliffhangers. And a special thanks to my homie Moving Shadow for the idea of the baby's name, thanks for mentioning using Lydia's and that idea. I loved it. So thanks everyone even if you didn't review. So yeah… I have another story if you ever get bored; it's going to be full of angst and crazay shit like this. But different things I guess… So check it out or you are dead to me and Mr. Sniffles. You'll make him cry and you dont't want him to cry do you? Well thanks. CT out. **

**With Love**

**Cold Toenails, **


End file.
